The spooky season is officially upon us and, whether you actually celebrate it or not, there is something eerily exciting about Halloween.
It seemed apt, therefore, to kick off this ‘Song of the Day’ post with a tune that might very well find itself in a Halloween playlist: “Witchy Woman” by the Eagles.
The Eagles, now a world-famous classic rock band, were formed in 1971 by Don Henley, Glenn Frey, Bernie Leadon and Randy Meisner.
After experimenting with rock and country sounds, “Witchy Woman” was released as the second single of their self-titled debut album, Eagles, released in 1972. It managed to reach No. 9 on the Billboard pop singles chart.
Bernie Leadon (guitar) and Don Henley (lead vocals, drums) gave life to the song after the former came up with a guitar riff that sparked interest. Henley recounted: “[Leadon] came over one day and started playing this strange, minor-key riff that sounded sort of like a Hollywood movie version of Indian music — you know, the kind of stuff they play when the Indians ride up on the ridge while the wagon train passes below. It had a haunting quality, and I thought it was interesting, so we put a rough version of it down on a cassette tape.”
Although the song was inspired by several women in their lives, many of which were interested in the occult – a growing trend back then – Henley spoke of his primary muse for the song, novelist Zelda Fitzgerald, wife of F. Scott Fitzgerald, whose biography he was reading while writing the lyrics. His semi-delirious state, caused by the flu and high fever, at the time of composing created the image in his head of an enchantress, building around Fitzgerald’s known wild, bewitching and unruly behavior.
The song’s groovy yet seductive beat, clever lyrics and smooth vocals will most likely enchant you as well.
Have a listen:
